The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

NRC Grand Final: Canberra Vikings vs Queensland Country live scores, blog

11th November, 2017
Kickoff: 7:30pm (AEDT)
Venue: Viking Park, Canberra
TV: Live on Fox Sports
Betting: Vikings $1.70, Queensland Country $2.16

Canberra Vikings
1. Faalelei Sione 2. Folau Fainga'a 3. Les Leuluailii-Makin 4. Dean Oakman-Hunt 5. Darcy Swain 6. Rob Valetini 7. Tom Cusack [c] 8. Lolo Fakaosiliea 9. Ryan Lonergan 10. Wharenui Hawera 11. Andrew Muirhead 12. James Dargaville 13. Len Ikitau 14. Ben Johnston 15. Tom Banks.

Reserves: 16. Robbie Abel 17. Harry Lloyd 18. Max Bode 19. Michael Oakman-Hunt 20. Angus Allen 21. Pedro Rolando 22. Liam Moseley 23. Lausii Taliauli.

Queensland Country
1 Richie Asiata, 2 Alex Mafi, 3, Taniela Tupou, 4 Angus Blyth, 5 Harry Hockings, 6 Angus Scott-Young, 7 Tai Ford, 8 Caleb Timu, 9 James Tuttle, 10 Hamish Stewart, 11 Eto Nabuli, 12 Duncan Paia'aua [c], 13 Chris Feauai-Sautia, 14 Filipo Daugunu, 15 Patrick James.

Reserves: 16 Alex Casey, 17 Gareth Ryan, 18 Gavin Luka, 19, Phil Potgieter 20 Ted Postal, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Teti Tela, 23 Tony Hunt.
James Tuttle of Queensland Country. (Photo by Jason O'Brien/Getty Images)
Editor
11th November, 2017
151
1690 Reads

Match result:

Queensland Country have completed a remarkable transformation from last place in 2016 to premiers in 2017, defeating the Canberra Vikings by 14 points in the NRC Grand Final.

» Click here to read the full match report

Final score
Canberra Vikings 28
Queensland Country 42

Match preview:

Queensland Country is just one step away from completing a miracle turnaround from last season when they make the trip south to face minor premiers Canberra Vikings in the 2017 NRC Grand Final. Catch all the live scores, highlights and rugby action on The Roar from 7:30pm (AEDT).

Having finished dead last at the bottom of the table in 2016, and second last in both of the previous two seasons, Queensland have come out of nowhere this year to make their first ever NRC finals appearance.

They’re in for a fight for the title though coming up against one of just two teams that were able to beat them this year.

Advertisement

Canberra and Country finished the season one and two at the top of the table, setting up a thrilling finale between the best sides in the competition.

The Canberra Vikings got up over the Greater Sydney Rams in the final round of the season to take the minor premiership away from Queensland at the last moment.

A 40-35 thriller last week against the Perth Spirit continued a dominant season for the Vikings leading into their second grand final in three years.

Queensland was a little more convincing in their semi-final matchup, running in nine tries to three against a hapless Fijian Drua defence for a 57-21 win.

Canberra has been near-unstoppable this season, losing just two games all year and only by the slimmest of margins, going down by one and two points to the Country Eagles and Brisbane City respectively.

They’ve averaged an incredible 44 points per game in 2017 while also having the best defence in the competition.

These two sides did meet once this season and it was an absolute thriller to kick off the season back in Round 1.

Advertisement

Despite taking an entertaining 26-all deadlock into the halftime break, Canberra jumped away in the second stanza, taking the game out to 40-26 before Queensland miraculously pulled it back to tie the scores up once again at 40 apiece.

A try and penalty goal in the final ten minutes landed the 48-40 win for Canberra in a sign of things to come for both sides.

We’re guaranteed a brand new NRC champion with both sides looking for their maiden title.

Prediction
It’s tough to find a winner from such a tantalising clash. These two sides have really been the standouts of the season across the competition and they’re attacking flair has set them apart from the pack.

With a win earlier in the season and the home ground advantage, Canberra will be very hard to knock off today.

They’ve looked the more consistent of the two sides for mine, and while they both have the same win-loss record, Queensland has often fallen victim to vulnerable stretches in games of slacking off and letting sides back into the game.

Canberra to win by 15.

Advertisement
close